2023-04-23
Genesis 35:14 GWT
There are events in all our lives that, looking back, had to be the hand of God at work. One author puts it like this: “Maybe you bumped into somebody who introduced you to your spouse… or a coworker resigned and suddenly you were promoted… or a stranger said something that spoke to your heart. These are all signs of God’s favour, and when you’re tempted to get down, you need to remember how God opened the door for you… how he made a way… how he spared your life… how he healed your child. There is no such thing as coincidence… when something good happens, recognize that it’s God, and recall it often.”
In the Old Testament, “Jacob set up a memorial… to mark the place where God had spoken with him.” Have you established any memorial stones lately? A sure way to build your faith is to remember all the times God made a way when every door was locked and barred against you… days when you were lonely and God brought the right person into your life… nights when you felt so bad you didn’t think you would make it until the next morning. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, God turned things around… gave you the oil of joy for mourning… lifted you out of the pit… gave you a new beginning… and today you’re happy, healthy, and whole.
And best of all: If He did it before, He will do it again! He is the same today as He was yesterday, and when you take time to remember His goodness and faithfulness, it strengthens you to keep fighting the good fight of faith.
Soul food: Exo 17:8-16; Eph 3:14-21
2023-04-22
Psalm 107:13-14 NLV
Toe die Israeliete na God geroep het, het Hy hulle ‘uit duisternis en somberheid gered, en hulle boeie stukkend gebreek.’ Hy kan jou ook bevry van dit wat jou vandag gevange hou. Dis ook nie net ‘n tydelike vryheid nie, maar ‘n langtermyn vryheid: ‘As die Seun julle dus bevry, sal julle regtig vry wees’ (Johannes 8:36 NLV).
Hier is twee tree wat jy na vryheid kan neem: 1) Roep na die Here. God het gesê: ‘As julle heelhartig na My soek, sal julle My vind’ (Jeremia 29:13 NLV). Hou op om dit alleen te probeer hanteer. As jy jouself kon red, sou jy nie ‘n Redder nodig gehad het nie. ‘Gee al julle bekommernisse aan God oor, want Hy gee vir julle om’ (1 Petrus 5:7 NLV). 2) Voed jou siel geestelik.
Vryheid is ‘n tweeledige proses. Die eerste is nagmaal met Jesus. Die Israeliete het die Paaslam geëet in voorbereiding om slawerny te verlaat. Jesus, die Lam van God, verklaar: ‘Ek is die brood wat lewe gee… As iemand van hierdie brood eet, sal hy vir altyd lewe…’ (Johannes 6:51 NLV). Wanneer jy jou gevoelens en behoeftes met Hom deel, sal dit jou las en eensaamheid verlig en jou siel voed. Jesus het gekom, ‘…om aan te kondig dat gevangenes vrygelaat sal word… dat onderdruktes bevry sal word…’ (Lukas 4:18 NLV).
Die tweede deel is om op die Skrif te mediteer. Die Israeliete het slawe geword omdat hulle God se Woord verwerp het: ‘Hulle het in opstand gekom teen die voorskrifte van God. Die leiding van die Allerhoogste het hulle geminag. Daarom… hulle het gestruikel, en daar was niemand om te help nie’ (Psalm 107:11-12 NLV). Om vry te word en vry te bly, moet jy jou elke dag op God se lewensgewende Woord voed.
Sielskos: 1 Kor 15-16; Matt 3:1-10; Ps 103:13-22; Spr 10:14
Psalm 107:14 NIV
When the Israelites “cried to the Lord… he saved them… He brought them out of darkness… and broke… their chains” (vv. 13-14 NIV). And He can set you free from whatever is holding you captive today. And not just temporary freedom, but long-term freedom: “If the Son sets you free, you are free through and through” (John 8:36 MSG).
Here are two steps you can take toward freedom: (1) Cry out to the Lord. God said, “You will… find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV). Away with dignity and decorum – desperate situations call for desperate measures! Stop trying to handle it alone. If you could save yourself, you wouldn’t need a Saviour. Give it to God, “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7 NKJV).
(2) Feed your soul spiritually. Freedom is a two-part process. The first is communion with Jesus. The Israelites fed on the Passover lamb in preparation for leaving slavery. And Jesus, the Lamb of God, declares, “I am the living bread… Whoever eats this bread will live forever” (John 6:51 NIV). Sharing your feelings and needs with Him will lighten your burden, relieve your loneliness, and nourish your soul. Jesus came to proclaim “freedom for the prisoners… to set the oppressed free” (Luke 4:18 NIV). The second part is meditating on Scripture. Rejecting God’s Word caused the Israelites to become slaves: “Because they rebelled against the words of God, and despised the counsel of the Most High… they fell down, and there was none to help” (Psalm 107: 11-12 NKJV). To be set free and stay free, feed every day on God’s life-giving Word.
Soul food: 1 Cor 15-16; Matt 3:1-10; Ps 103:13-22; Prov 10:14
2023-04-21
Exodus 3:7 NIV
For four hundred years, Israel was enslaved by Egyptian taskmasters who oppressed them and “made their lives bitter” (Exodus 1:14 KJV). And you can understand their feelings of helplessness when you consider the areas in your own life where you struggle for freedom from old habits. Whether it’s anger, food, alcohol, drugs, sex, money, or abusive relationships, we experience a sense of powerlessness in our struggle. And repeated bids for freedom can produce increased feelings of hopelessness that lead us to give up trying altogether.
But the Israelites cried out to God, and He responded: “I have… seen the misery of my people… I have heard them crying out… and I am concerned about their suffering.” Today God sees you, God hears you, and God is concerned about you. He said, “I have come down to rescue them… and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land… flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8 NIV). Notice, He had “come down” to “bring them up.” How did He do it? Their deliverance called for the death of the spotless Passover lamb. After applying its sacrificial blood to their doorposts, they cooked and ate the lamb while dressed in their traveling clothes, staff in hand, ready to leave captivity behind.
Today, God wants you to prayerfully prepare for your journey to freedom; not by your own futile human efforts, but by faith in the shed blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away our sins. “Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch… For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7 NIV). Aren’t you glad?
Soul food: 1 Cor 12-14; Matt 2:19-23; Ps 103:1-12; Prov 10:13
Eksodus 3:7 NLV
Die Israeliete is vir vierhonderd jaar deur hul Egiptiese slawedrywers gevange gehou en onderdruk en hulle ‘…het die lewe bitter swaar gemaak vir die Israeliete…’ (Eksodus 1:14 NLV). ‘n Mens kan hulle gevoelens van hulpeloosheid verstaan wanneer jy die areas in jou eie lewe waar jy vir vryheid van ou gewoontes veg, oorweeg. Of dit nou woede, kos, alkohol, dwelms, seks, geld of verkeerde verhoudings is, ons ervaar ‘n sin van magteloosheid in ons stryd daarteen.
Die Israeliete het egter na God geroep en Hy het geantwoord: ‘…Jy kan seker wees dat Ek gesien het hoe swaar my volk in Egipte kry. Ek het gehoor hoe hulle…. om hulp roep. Ek is baie bewus van hoe swaar hulle kry.’ Vandag sien God jou, God hoor jou en God is besorg oor jou. Hy het gesê: ‘Daarom het Ek gekom om hulle van die Egiptenaars te bevry en hulle weg te lei… na hulle eie mooi, groot land. Dit is ‘n land met oorgenoeg kos…’ (Eksodus 3:8 NLV).
Let op dat die Here gekom het om hulle te bevry. Hoe het Hy dit gedoen? Hulle verlossing het die dood van die vlekkelose Paaslam geverg. Nadat hulle die offerbloed daarvan aan hulle deurkosyne gesmeer het, het hulle die lam gekook en geëet terwyl hulle in hulle reisklere geklee was, staf in die hand, gereed om gevangenskap agter te laat.
Vandag wil God hê dat jy biddend moet voorberei vir jou reis na vryheid; nie deur jou eie vergeefse menslike pogings nie, maar deur geloof in die gestorte bloed van Jesus, die Lam van God wat ons sondes wegneem. ‘Verwyder hierdie slegte invloed onder julle uit sodat julle weer nuut en skoon kan wees… Ook vir ons is daar immers ‘n Paaslam geslag – Christus’ (1 Korintiërs 5:7 NLV). Is jy nie bly nie?
Sielskos: 1 Kor 12-14; Matt 2:19-23; Ps 103:1-12; Spr 10:13
